2020 has been a challenging year for the restaurant industry. With many cities mandating some sort of dining restrictions, restaurants have had to adjust and lean on delivery to compensate for the lost income. Third-party delivery can be a daunting task for restaurants and ensuring the customer has an experience that brings them back is imperative. Most solutions take the control of delivery out of the restaurant’s hands and expose them to increase risk. At DeliverThat, we pride ourselves on providing restaurants with the ideal delivery driver. But what exactly does the “ideal driver” look like? The answer may vary depending on who you ask.
Restaurant - Badges
At the restaurant level, the ideal driver shows up on time and is prepared with the necessary equipment to complete the job successfully. They are aware of and care about the restaurant’s brand image. At DeliverThat the brand of any restaurant partner is upheld by educating drivers on their standards. Once a driver has earned the restaurant badge deliveries for that specific brand become visible to the driver. Completion of the badge gives every party the peace of mind needed to trust the delivery driver’s understanding of the brand.
In a conversation with one of our restaurant partners, Rick Bonazza, Director of Sales at Chick-fil-A in Macedonia, Ohio, he stressed the importance of being professionally dressed and on time for the deliveries. Customers ordering from Chick-fil-A expect a certain level of service, and when Rick uses a third-party delivery company, it is up to the delivery driver to reciprocate the level of service Chick-fil-A’s customers have come to love. “DeliverThat drivers show up promptly on time and in a business casual appearance - usually in their blue DeliverThat polo. DeliverThat drivers show up with the proper equipment needed for the delivery and are able to send photos of the food set-ups upon request.” Rick also talked about how DeliverThat’s drivers come eager to help with the packaging and loading of the deliveries. Being a helping hand at the restaurant and drop off is a key characteristic of the ideal delivery driver.
Cindy Celis of Good Gracious Events in Los Angeles, California reiterated the importance of timely and professional drivers, especially in her line of business. Good Gracious Events is a bit different than the typical restaurant in that the clients they deal with tend to hold exclusive events that require a little more time and care than a normal office or hospital delivery. With Good Gracious, hospitality and presentation may be more important than the actual products being delivered. Cindy’s confidence in the driver’s education is what pulls her back to using DeliverThat. Cindy added, “Our clients expect white-glove service, so that is the standard we provide. Being able to rely on DeliverThat to execute our deliveries to that level of service alleviates the stress of using other delivery providers”.
Customer
As stated throughout this post, third-party delivery drivers not only represent the company they work for, but also the restaurant. On the customer end, the ideal delivery driver is communicative of any delays and is willing to accommodate any special changes or requests from the customer.
The driver will go above and beyond to execute an aesthetically pleasing set up for the customer. To incentivize this, DeliverThat has a monthly set up picture contest where drivers can submit their set up pictures for the opportunity of cash and other prizes. Providing this type of opportunity to drivers always brings out the positive competitive spirit within our team. Being able to showcase the efforts of the drivers from coast to coast shows new drivers the DeliverThat standard.
DeliverThat Dispatch
From the DeliverThat dispatch point of view, the ideal driver communicates before, during, and after the delivery. Being responsive and active on the app prior to the delivery gives the dispatch team comfort and visibility that the delivery is on schedule.
Though the dispatch team is always eager to help, the ideal delivery driver is resourceful and can maneuver any incidents on their own. Having at least 1 touch-point with the customer is imperative for the driver. Doing so will allow the customer to express any last-minute changes to the delivery location and gives them peace of mind that their food is on schedule and on its way.
Success Story: Linda Steinmetz
Linda Steinmetz who drives for DeliverThat in the Chicago, Illinois metro has been part of the DeliverThat team since October of 2020. She has recently made a name for herself within the DeliverThat organization and also among Pinstripes’ restaurant management. As a consistent and professional delivery driver, Linda has seen some of the largest payouts in DeliverThat history. Pinstripes employees have come to enjoy working with Linda and even often request that she takes their deliveries specifically. “I have a passion for food, people, and sales”, says Linda as she expressed the impact delivering with DeliverThat has had on her.
When asked what makes her so successful on the deliveries, Linda had some pointers for other drivers. “The first thing I do before the delivery, is look at a satellite image of where I am picking up the delivery”, she says. This helps Linda become familiar with the area her delivery is taking place. She then aims to start her job in the app about an hour ahead of the pick-up time, ensuring the dispatch team that she is aware of, and ready for her delivery. While at the restaurant for the pick-up, Linda will communicate with and lend a helping hand to the restaurant employees because as she put it, “the restaurant is our client too”.
In an industry where timing is everything, Linda stressed the importance of giving herself enough time between deliveries. “I always give myself extra time. Even if you think you have enough time, give yourself an extra 15 minutes because you have to anticipate delays, wherever they may occur” she states.
Linda embodies the ideal delivery driver with her communication and preparation. Valuing every step in the process from start to finish ensures she will satisfy everyone involved in the delivery.
Understanding the importance of timeliness and professionalism are the two building blocks of becoming the ideal delivery driver. Without drivers like Linda, DeliverThat would not be the company it is today.